Higher OFW remittances continue to buoy Filipinos at home

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Global migration trends continue to affect Philippine labor and economy as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reports a 3% overall remittance growth to $17.59 billion (from January to June 2023) from the year-earlier $17.09 billion.

The same data found that cash remittances by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) also increased by 2.9% to $15.79 billion compared to $13.35 billion in 2022. In June alone, OFW remittances sent through banks hit $2.81 billion, the highest level since $3.16 billion in December 2022. According to BSP data, personal remittances, including non-monetary inflows, grew by 2.2% to $3.13 billion in June from $3.06 billion in the same month last year.

Data from the Department of Migrant Workers and the Philippine Statistics Authority found that the country deployed over 1.8 million OFWs to major destination countries in 2022, which accounted for the largest financial contribution of all observed areas in this study.

"Millions of Filipinos are welcomed and valued in various industries and economies worldwide. While the pandemic slowed their deployment, this has since rebounded thanks to easing restrictions and inclusive labor policies in both the Philippines and host countries," said Earl Melivo, Head of Asia-Pacific at WorldRemit.

Land-based workers with contracts of a year or more and sea- and land-based workers with contracts of less than one year served as the greatest contributors, according to recent reports. Origin countries with the largest remittance flows from January to June 2023 were the United States at 41 percent, Singapore at 7 percent, Saudi Arabia at 6 percent, and Japan at 5 percent.

Melivo said that digitalization has been increasingly important in facilitating recruitment and emigration, improving labor migration management among OFWs.

Digitalization has also streamlined many processes for migrants and has also helped them cope with working and living abroad. It lets them stay in touch with loved ones and send money home easily. Platforms like WorldRemit facilitate secure and real-time online transfers for users worldwide.

"In this global landscape, remittances play an increasingly critical role in moving people and sustaining populations. But primarily, they support migrant workers' families. WorldRemit recognizes the significance of affordable remittance services in ensuring their welfare and empowering them through financial inclusion," Melivo said.

Get to know Filipino workers all over the world and their inspiring stories through the WorldRemit community at https://worldremote.com/en/blog/community.

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About WorldRemit

We’re a leading global payments company. We disrupted an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by taking international money transfers online—making them safer, faster, and low-cost. We currently send from 50 to 130 countries, operate in more than 5,000 money transfer corridors worldwide, and employ around 1,200 people globally.

On the sending side, WorldRemit is 100% digital (cashless), increasing convenience and enhancing security. For those receiving money, the company offers a wide range of options including bank deposit, cash collection, mobile airtime top-up, and mobile money.

Vista Residences creates the path to abundant living for the Global Filipino

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The Philippine real estate industry is training its sights on the potentially rich market that comprises Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), offering them prime residential condominiums as immensely profitable investment prospects.

This buoyant outlook on the Global Filipino as property investors is not without the digits to back it up. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) disclosed earlier this year that OFW remittances in 2022 hit an astounding high of US$36.14 billion, surpassing the previous year’s total remittances of S$34.88 billion.

Fortunately, modern OFWs, redefined as the new Global Filipino, have acquired financial literacy through the years, and readily acknowledge that placing some of their money in real estate, considered a stable, long-term investment, would secure their future.

Indeed, if our hardworking overseas workers once dreamt of buying their own homes, these days they are making it happen.

Vista Residences looks to serve investment-savvy Global Filipinos

Vista Residences, the prime condominium developer of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., is keeping this in mind as it looks to serve investment-savvy Global Filipinos. Its stunning vertical communities offer plush living spaces that are designed for the more sophisticated tastes of this demographic.

Rising in Metro-Manila’s premier locations, Vista Residences’ condominiums tout proximity to the country’s business and commerce epicenters and to the leisure and entertainment hubs that ensure Vista residents are constantly close to where the action is. Families with children and young adults are also assured of Vista Residence’s access to public transport, and the reputable schools, colleges, and universities that they go to. Medical facilities, retail establishments, and other essential destinations are also a short commute or drive away.

Vista residents will find security and comfort in the property’s sustainable eco-friendly features, green spaces, and smart buildings.

On site, Vista properties offer top-of-the-line amenities—fitness centers, function rooms, game rooms, gardens, and swimming pools. Vista Residences’ homeowners will likewise find Allday convenience stores, coffee shops, and salons right within the community. To top these all, Vista residents will find security and comfort in the property’s sustainable eco-friendly features, green spaces, and smart buildings.

Vista Residences offers prime residential condominiums as immensely profitable investment prospects to Global Filipinos.

Vista properties offer top-of-the-line amenities—fitness centers, function rooms, game rooms, gardens, and swimming pools.

Vista Residences’ stunning vertical communities offer plush living spaces that are designed for the more sophisticated tastes of Global Filipinos.

Vista Residences’ condominiums tout proximity to the country’s business and commerce epicenters.

Ms. Eda Tambologan, Vista Residences Division Head, says, “When overseas workers come home to roost once more, they want a safe haven in which to renew their ties with loved ones; they deserve a fine dwelling that will last through the myriad milestones of their lives. I believe that a high-value property such as Vista Residences is the best investment the Global Filipino can ever venture into.”

For more information, visit the official Vista Residences website at www.vistaresidences.com.ph. For further updates, be sure to like their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VistaResidencesOfficial.  

Golden Haven celebrates OFW Week with “Mas PinaWais, Mas PinoYaman,” a weeklong event on financial management

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Golden Haven, the Philippines’ leading provider of premium death-care services, is currently celebrating OFW Week 2023 with a weeklong event that bears the theme “Mas PinaWais, Mas PinoYaman: Offering Filipinos a Wise Investment”. Ongoing until May 29, the grand activity affirms Golden Haven’s reputation as the prime advocate of financial literacy, a subject close to the company that builds the country’s most beautiful memorial parks.

As the theme suggests, "Mas PinaWais, Mas PinoYaman: Offering Filipinos a Wise Investment” is expected to show Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) how to grow their hard-earned money through wise and sustainable investments.

It is a move that is both gratifying and timely. According to Vistaland International, “Overseas Filipino Workers' (OFWs) remittances hit an all-time high in December 2022, wrapping up the past year with a $36.14 billion contribution to the Philippine economy. It’s about time, then, that Golden Haven leads our modern-day heroes to a future of financial freedom and security.

Multiple activities are currently being staged to achieve this end. Among these is a talk on “Investment Opportunities” by Mr. Peter Frances Simon, a certified analyst, digital marketer and project lead of the Market Research Department of Vista Land. Participants will have a chance to seek live assistance from Golden Haven's team and Mr. Simon, and benefit from their expertise in financial management.

A highlight of the event is Golden Haven’s Virtual Road Show, a unique digital experience that takes participants on a tour of Golden Haven’s award-winning memorial properties from the comfort of their homes. With just a computer or mobile device, everyone gets a close scrutiny of the top-tier developer’s beautiful memorial parks nationwide. The Virtual Road Show also provides valuable information on the investment advantages available at Golden Haven, helping potential investors decide where best to place their money.

To top it all, Golden Haven is rolling out exclusive promos for savvy investors. With its exciting discounts, flexible payment terms, and value-adding benefits, OFW Week is turning out to be a truly propitious time to invest in Golden Haven prime properties.

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About Golden Haven

Golden Haven Memorial Park is a subsidiary company of publicly listed Villar-owned Golden MV Holdings Inc. Currently positioned as one of the largest real estate companies in the country. Golden Haven offers premium death care services and prime memorial lots. It is dubbed as the most lucrative real estate investment with an average of 20% annual value appreciation.

Be part of the Golden Haven community today! Visit goldenhaven.com.ph or follow “Golden Haven” on our social media platforms. We are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Spotify, Tiktok, and Viber. For sales-related inquiries, you may contact (02) 8873-2922 to 23.

WorldRemit powers long-distance love

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Love makes many feats possible. This statement rings true for many Filipinos who have been working overseas to better provide for their loved ones this Valentine’s Day.

This February, WorldRemit shares stories of love – particularly about how two OFWs have made long-distance relationships work throughout the years and how remittances have acted as a currency of care.

“Today’s rising cost of living has only pushed more Filipinos to seek better opportunities abroad, resulting in more couples living apart,” said Earl Melivo, Interim APAC Managing Director of WorldRemit. “It is also worth noting that many couples are married with children and are finding ways to provide for their families. This makes being away for longer periods of time necessary yet even more difficult.”

A 2018 study showed how Filipino husbands were more likely to be separated from their wives, with 58% of OFW children having fathers who worked abroad. Jonathan, a father of three, has been a supervisor for an oil firm based in Brunei for 25 years. There, he initially lived and worked together with his children and his wife Bam, an optometrist. After 12 years, they returned to the Philippines, where his wife put up her own optical clinic.

Jonathan chose to stay behind to maintain their family income. Now, he only sees his family once a year, which he considers as the hardest part about his extended stay. “It’s difficult to cope with their present activities,” he said.

Another case is Manny, a management assistant who has worked in the Middle East for 32 years. “Being an absentee father to my three daughters makes me regret at times being away while they are growing up,” he also echoed.

However, as a result of their sacrifices, both fathers were able to achieve significant milestones for their families together with their wives. In the years they spent apart, Jonathan and Bam have been able to acquire a house and lot, a car, and another clinic for Bam’s practice. They are currently seeing all three of their children through college.

In the long run, both OFWs share the same goal of having all their children finish their education and putting up a business that can support them after retiring. For now, their main advice for other OFW couples is daily communication.

“Constantly communicate, update the one who’s away with everything going on with the family, and always give each other assurance,” Jonathan said.

While Jonathan and Manny are now able to maximize video calls to stay connected with their families, Manny still looked back fondly at how he and his wife got by before the internet.

“Letters and voice tapes delivered through post were the only ways we could convey our affections. We would receive each other’s letters in about a week if we were lucky, or in two weeks at most. Telephone calls were an option, but were rare as they were quite expensive,” he said.

At present, Manny is thankful enough for the ease and convenience offered by technology. After all, online remittance services like WorldRemit are the reason he and his wife are able to work towards the future they’ve always dreamed of together.

“Despite challenges like difficult working conditions and homesickness, Filipinos are ultimately motivated by their love for their families. WorldRemit not only recognizes this love but empowers it, enabling reliable and real-time digital transfers which make OFWs feel like they’re right there,” Melivo said.

Read more inspiring stories from migrant workers around the world. Get to know them better through the WorldRemit community at https://www.worldremit.com/en/blog/community/.

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About WorldRemit

We’re a leading global payments company. We disrupted an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by taking international money transfers online—making them safer, faster and lower-cost. We currently send from 50 to 130 countries, operate in more than 5,000 money transfer corridors worldwide and employ around 1,200 people globally.

On the sending side WorldRemit is 100% digital (cashless),increasing convenience and enhancing security. For those receiving money, the company offers a wide range of options including bank deposit, cash collection, mobile airtime top-up and mobile money.

How Puregold’s Tindahan ni Aling Puring Program Helped a Distressed OFW During the Pandemic

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For the over 400,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who lost their jobs due to COVID-19, the challenges brought by the pandemic made even basic survival a daily struggle. Anxiety over catching the virus and impaired mobility due to community quarantines were part of the immediate problems.

However, the harsh economic repercussions dealt the biggest blow. Returning OFWs came home to a dismal local job market that was still reeling from layoffs, downsizing, and even shutdowns.

It was in this scenario that the indomitable Filipino spirit surfaced. Soon enough, many distressed returning OFWs obtained part-time work or established their own small businesses. For some, the crisis led to opportunities for better and more sustainable ventures.

Store owner Teodorico Ranili is able to recover from his losses during the pandemic with Puregold’s Tindahan ni Aling Puring Program.

Among these is the story of Teodorico M. Ranili Jr.—an aging OFW who, like many others, was “trapped” in the Philippines during the initial implementation of the Enchanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). The unexpected loss of income quickly made the threat of hunger and homelessness very real for him and his family. “For a time, we had no place to stay and no income to sustain even our basic needs.”

With the prescribed cash allowances doing little to pay the bills, Teodorico knew he needed to act quickly.

Starting small from what little capital he could scrounge, Teodorico and his family started an online business for only the most basic necessities. “We started selling odds-and-ends like bleach and peanut butter online just to make ends meet,” he recalls. “Since we had next to nothing at the time, I remember that we made most of our first deliveries on-foot.”

Eventually, Teodorico’s side-gig would turn into a quaint sari-sari store that he dreamt of transforming into a full-fledged minimart one day.

The crossroads for Teodorico’s store soon came through the Tindahan ni Aling Puring (TNAP) program, Puregold’s loyalty and membership program for resellers and other wholesalers.

Tindahan ni Aling Puring Program is Puregold’s loyalty and membership program for resellers

 and other wholesalers.

“Puregold’s Aling Puring program turned out to be the biggest blessing for us,” Teodorico says. “They have an accommodating and reliable agent that comes to our area weekly to assist with ordering. Through the TNAP system, purchasing sale items became extremely convenient. As a bonus, these items are delivered free-of-charge for any TNAP member.”

Today, Teodorico Ranili Jr. is the proud owner of Ranili’s One Stop Shop—a convenience store serving his community in Meycauayan, Bulacan. In achieving this, he credits his membership in the TNAP as something that helped make his dream a reality.

“We were able to thrive and overcome the uncertainties of the pandemic through our store,” a grateful Teodorico relates. “This could not have been possible without Puregold and their Tindahan ni Aling Puring program. The convenience and the perks of being a TNAP member just make the life of a store owner so much easier.”

BRIA Homes Makes Homeownership Accessible to OFWs

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Homeownership these days no longer means simply having a roof over your heads. It means having a warm haven or sanctuary to come home to—cozy living spaces that you can paint, decorate, furnish, and fill up with stuff that make it your very own. Home is thus no longer a page in a magazine or a post in Pinterest, Tumblr, and an interior design website. It is a sweet, safe, and happy place with the sound of laughter, children and pets, a pocket garden maybe, and anything else you want it to be.

Best of all, because homeownership is now every average Filipino’s top aspiration, top-tier property developer BRIA Homes is helping to make it happen with a diverse portfolio of horizontal and vertical housing projects. Imagine settling down in wholesome and secure residential enclaves with open green spaces and recreational amenities, making your choice from a slew of house and lot models designed to suit individual needs and requirements.

 BRIA Homes has a diverse portfolio of horizontal and vertical housing projects.

Now BRIA Homes is serving these up to our hardworking dear kababayans, the OFWs, as exceptionally safe and stable investments. With the current dollar exchange rates, OFWs are getting more bang for their buck, property investments included, and BRIA is making it easier for them.

First, BRIA is bolstering its online presence to reach out to more Overseas Filipino Workers whose remittances hit $8.65B at the end of the first quarter of 2022 alone. Consistently held up as modern-day heroes for helping prop up the Philippine economy during the country’s most challenging times, OFWs are being spurred to invest in properties now. After all, even during the pandemic-related nationwide lockdowns, the real estate industry was one of the most resilient, with homebuilders reporting significant upticks in sales.

Today, with the worst of the crisis over, property remains to be the most lucrative investment one can make in the current economic climate. This buoyant outlook is being touted by BRIA Homes, the developer of some of the country’s superior quality, value-for-money housing.

BRIA communities are strategically placed near key lifestyle hubs such as schools, churches, hospitals, retail establishments, and government offices. The gated villages also feature multipurpose halls, covered basketball courts, and walkable open green spaces that help foster healthy and thriving communities ties among their homeowners and residents.

BRIA communities are strategically placed near key lifestyle hubs such as schools, churches, hospitals, retail establishments, and government offices.

OFWs are being spurred to invest in properties now.

BRIA is bolstering its online presence to reach out to more Overseas Filipino Workers.

OFWs with young students and professionals back home will want to buy their condo units of choice at BRIA Condo Vertical Villages. These, too, come with sought-after amenities like swimming pools, jogging path, gyms, play areas, and communal clubhouses.

ET Aguilar, Division Head of BRIA, affirms that their vision for Filipinos acquiring their homes of choice extends far beyond the country’s borders. He then urges our kababayans to consider BRIA for their next big investment. “Yes, now while the dollar remains strong and our units remain available at competitive prices,” Aguilar says. “Value can only go up with time and provide a strong return on their investments.”

OFWs with young students and professionals back home will want to buy their condo units of choice at BRIA Condo Vertical Villages .

BRIA Homes is a sound prospect for OFWs looking to grow their hard-earned money.

All these make BRIA Homes a sound prospect for OFWs looking to grow their hard-earned money. The good news is, transacting with the company has never been easier. A few simple clicks give interested parties access to BRIA’s 24/7 online customer service chat on their official website. Responsive agents manage BRIA’s official Facebook page and project pages, ensuring a constantly open line of communication. Payments and reservations can also be done online through BRIA’s bank partners and e-wallets.

BRIA Homes is a subsidiary of GOLDEN MV Holdings, Inc., one of the top real estate companies in the country. Acclaimed for its massive footprint of over 50 developments in major Philippine cities and municipalities, BRIA Homes is committed to bring quality and best-value residential communities closer to everyday Filipino families. Through a diverse portfolio of properties such as house-and-lots and condominiums, BRIA Homes promises to provide the right property option for every Filipino’s needs.

To know more, visit their website at www.bria.com.ph, like and follow “Bria Homes, Inc.” on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Spotify, Viber Community, Telegram Channel, Kakao Talk, LINE and WhatsApp, or call 0939-887-9637.

Overseas Filipino Workers get a chance to win up to PHP 500,000 with Pru Life UK

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Pru Life UK rewards OFWs in achieving their financial goals and securing a better

Leading life insurer Pru Life UK is giving Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) an opportunity to win up to PHP 500,000 with the Balikbayan Raffle-PRUTektadong OFW Special.

To join, interested OFWs can earn one raffle entry by simply signing up via www.PRUTektadongOFW.com for a free virtual financial consultation with a Pru Life UK agent once they are back in the Philippines. OFWs will be guided on how to set and achieve their financial goals, manage their finances better, and get tips on how to secure their families’ future.

Additional raffle entries will be awarded to those who will answer the OFW survey and are existing Pru Life UK OFW customers.

“Overseas Filipino Workers are our modern-day heroes and we want to give them a chance of boosting their journey to financial wellness through our Balikbayan Raffle,” Pru Life UK President and Chief Executive Officer Eng Teng Wong said. “This is one of Pru Life UK’s efforts to thank them for helping their families and the economy by sharing valuable money lessons on their journey to financial wellness through our free financial consultations.”

Aside from the PHP 500,000 prize, qualified OFWs can also win a roundtrip ticket worth PHP 150,000 to any domestic or international destination of their choice in the grand draw on August 5. Pru Life UK will also give away ten (10) Puregold vouchers worth PHP 5,000 for each monthly raffle covering the three-month raffle period.

“Pru Life UK strongly advocates financial education and we want our brave OFWs to get the same chance in learning to handle their finances well despite the distance,” Wong added.

The no-cost and no-purchase required Balikbayan Raffle-PRUTektadong OFW Special Raffle will run until July 31, 2022 and is open to OFWs aged eighteen and above.

To know more about Pru Life UK and this promo, please visit www.prulifeuk.com.ph.

foodpanda, Blas Ople Center partner for expansion of BuyAnihan Palengke livelihood program

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foodpanda and Blas Ople Center officially launch the "BuyAnihan Palengke" at the special one-day food bazaar held at Emerald Avenue in Ortigas.

(L-R: Daniel Marogy, Managing Director of foodpanda Philippines, Toots Ople of Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, Hans Leo Cacdac Administrator of OWWA and Leopoldo De Castro Jr, foodpanda Philippines finance director)

Leading quick commerce platform provider foodpanda has partnered with the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute for the expansion of the BuyAnihan Palengke CSR initiative aimed at helping enterprising Filipinos become resellers of fresh produce sourced directly from local farmers.

The project transforms its beneficiaries to community resellers of fresh produce sourced directly from the farms and thereafter transported to BuyAnihan Palengke distribution hubs in Metro Manila. This results to livelihood opportunities for the beneficiaries, better prices to the farmers for the sale of their produce, and fresh quality products for consumer.

Dubbed as a Fruits and Veggies Street Fest, the outdoor food bazaar exhibit featured fresh vegetables & fruits and food & refreshments sold by the program’s beneficiaries.

“This project started as a local program “Salubong ng Carrots Atbp.” of the Caloocan City Government through its Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CADAO) with the Diocese of Caloocan City to provide a sustainable livelihood to several of the city’s reformed drug dependents and displaced workers become vegetable resellers. It inspired us from the private sector partners - the Philippine Seven Corporation and foodpanda Philippines to participate and scale the program to reach other cities and people. It was the embodiment of the Filipino Bayanihan Spirit that this country is known for.” said Daniel Marogy, Managing Director of foodpanda Philippines.

Marogy explained that the special one-day food bazaar at Emerald Avenue in Ortigas marked a new phase of the project.

“And so we soft launch today the BuyAnihan Palengke Group Buy App that will help the program reach a wider market and make affordable fresh produce even more accessible to consumers. As we move forward with this project, BuyAnihan Palengke will be known not just as a CSR initiative but as a revolutionary social enterprise powered by a technology platform.” declared Marogy.

On top of the event’s food offerings, a tent was dedicated for the recruitment of potential new resellers of the project where interested visitors of the event may sign-up and be shown how the app works.

Expanding the project’s beneficiaries

Staying true to its objective of providing the underserved sector with a source of income, BuyAnihan Palengke’s resellers now include repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), local farmers, out-of-school youths, and solo parents, among others. It is also opening its doors to interested resellers as well as foodpanda’s own partner delivery riders.

The outdoor food bazaar was the first collaboration between foodpanda and Ople Center, a labor non-profit organization (NGO) and a known advocate of initiatives that aid struggling Filipinos looking for livelihood.

Susan Ople, President of Blas F. Ople Center

“Unemployment and the lack of alternative sources of livelihood are two of the most serious economic dilemmas we are facing today. This project is a timely solution to this problem as we are able to onboard multiple sectors in just one program and provide them with a viable income stream,” tells Susan Ople, President of Blas F. Ople Center.

The CSR project includes training both OFWs and riders with basic skills and information necessary to prepare them for their new journey as resellers.

“With the expansion of the BuyAnihan Palengke livelihood program, we strive to innovate and look for more ways to help our stakeholders. We are happy and excited to see even more Filipinos get these livelihood opportunities,” says Leopoldo De Castro Jr, foodpanda Philippines finance director.

As foodpanda gives its full support to the launch event, its cute and adorable mascot, Pau-Pau also made his first public appearance as one of the event’s main attractions, visiting the bazaar’s various tents of food and vegetable offerings and greeting the bazaar visitors.

The BuyAnihan Palengke CSR Project aims to launch more projects and partnerships in the future directed at creating more livelihood opportunities for their beneficiaries, better prices to the farmers for the sale of their produce, and fresh quality products for consumers.

“Watch out for us as our increasing tribe of beneficiaries and resellers tour the Capital in the coming months to bring BuyAnihan Palengke closer to our homes.”said Ople.

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About Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute:

The Blas F. Ople Policy Center is a 17-year old NGO that serves migrant workers and their families, It currently sits as the NGO Rep for the OFW Sector in the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). Named after and inspired by the late Labor and Foreign Affairs Secretary and Senate President Blas Ople, the policy center is headed by Susan Ople, his youngest daughter.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/blasoplepolicycenter/

About foodpanda:

foodpanda is dedicated to bringing food lovers their favorite meals from curated local restaurants in the Philippines. Since its creation, the on-demand food delivery service has grown to more than 170,000 partner restaurants in more than 325 cities across 13 Asian and Central Europe markets. foodpanda Philippines currently operates in 150 cities and municipalities across the Philippines and continuously expanding. foodpanda is a subsidiary under Delivery Hero, a worldwide leader of the food delivery industry. For more information, visit www.foodpanda.ph.

How it works:

Through the foodpanda website or via the new iOS and Android apps, customers can enter their address and view a curated list of restaurants and shops serving their neighborhood. Once they have found their choice, they can place an order in the comfort of their home or office, paying online through foodpanda’s secure platform or via cash-on-delivery The order is then carefully prepared by the restaurant or shop, picked up by the foodpanda rider and delivered straight to their doorstep.

Follow us on:

Facebook: foodpandaphilippines

Twitter: foodpanda_ph

Instagram: foodpanda_ph

Safe and Fair Philippines advocates for ending violence and ensuring jobs and rights for Filipina OFWs in a new and better normal

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MANILA, Philippines - All throughout history, women have continuously played vital roles in their communities. In today’s context, we have seen their strength in full display as hardworking healthcare workers, caregivers, domestic workers, innovators, community organizers, and effective national leaders, among many others. Yet, despite their numerous contributions in the labor sector, many remain at risk having to deal with persistent problems such as discrimination, the gender wage gap, and violence.

That is why Safe and Fair Philippines, through its Babaeng BiyaHero Campaign, is recognizing the many contributions women have made to uplift their communities during these challenging times, most especially for those abroad who continue to work at the front lines. In celebration of International Month of Labor, the group hosted “Babaeng BiyaHero Bida Talks: Pinay Migrant Workers Advancing a Better Normal in the World of Work”, a roundtable discussion featuring women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who gave their take on the most pressing labor issues that women face today, sharing their personal experiences in dealing with these issues and the work they are doing to promote decent work and a better normal for their fellow migrant workers.

Hosted by Suzi Entrata-Abrera, the panel was also joined by the Safe and Fair Programme team who presented the latest initiatives to support the welfare and protection of women migrant workers, including the Babaeng BiyaHero helpline and mobile app, and advocated for the legislative proposal for gender-responsive protocols in addressing COVID-19.

Better ways of working for the new way of living

Even before the pandemic, thousands of OFWs, majority women, reported gender-based violence (GBV) each year. With the pandemic, they are placed at greater risk for further violence when they are left locked in with abusive employers with barriers in accessing immediate supportive services from their embassies and consulates. The situation today has only highlighted the disproportionate burdens that they carry in and out of the workplace. As of April, more than a quarter-million Filipina OFWs, many of whom are domestic workers have been displaced, repatriated, and are faced with an even more difficult situation of either struggling financially or remaining unemployed when they come back home.

Thankfully, organizations such as the United Domestic Workers of the Philippines (UNITED), Migrants Coordinating Group in Western Visayas, and BATIS Center for Women offer hope for Filipina workers.  Created by fellow women migrant workers, these groups aim to support returning OFWs by helping them find sustainable solutions to their financial struggles whether it is through seeking government aid or securing local employment opportunities, among others.

Novelita Palisoc, National President of UNITED shared, “At UNITED we help migrant domestic workers and local domestic workers who face abuse (through coordination of repatriation and other supportive services). We also offer support through mutual aid for deceased members and their families. And as a matter of institutionalization, we negotiate social benefits of domestic workers.”

Women migrant workers are also encouraged to check out the Babaeng BiyaHero helpline and mobile app that assists women by providing them with essential information and services to help them in times of distress or emergency, whether in their countries-of-destination or in the Philippines. These include psychological support and responsive services.

“Since last year, the Babaeng BiyaHero Helpline has responded to requests for assistance due to contract violations, sexual harassment cases, medical repatriation, need for information on livelihood assistance through gender-responsive, survivor-centered, trauma-informed case management, provision of remote psychological first aid, counseling, referral services in coordination with government agencies mandated to extend assistance to migrant workers. Aside from migrant workers, we also provide psychosocial support to frontline workers including health workers, social welfare, police officers, and other service providers responding to the needs of women migrant workers subject to violence,” Bing Fortin, Babaeng BiyaHero Psychosocial Social Support Team Lead shared.

The work on women’s rights

As the government continues to formulate rehabilitation programs to address the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that the rights of women, both here and abroad, be at the heart of their planning, decision-making, and implementation. In every aspect of labor, women deserve to be heard and to have a better working environment, and now is as perfect a time as ever with the new Gender Responsive and Inclusive Pandemic Management Act of 2021 or “SB 2088 and HB 9059” having been filed last month and now pending legislative approval. The bill addresses the gender-differentiated needs of women including the needs of women migrant workers with provisions on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence; and aims to ensure that government agencies have enough power to act on the following:

1. Monitoring and data gathering on the realities of women relating to gender-based violence/violence at work.
2. Responding to and eliminating gender-based violence/violence at work against women and girls through pandemic policy and decision making, planning, and programming.
3. Developing guidelines on practices, protocols, coordination and networking, and education of first responders.
4. Ensuring that communications systems, referral systems, protection mechanisms and measures on access to justice and effective remedies by women subject to gender-based violence/violence at work continue to operate during a pandemic.
5. Providing shelter and security, resources and support to women and girls subject to violence; and
6. Enabling sufficient and effective institutional response for preventing gender-based violence/violence at work during a pandemic.

“We urge our legislators to make the swift enactment of the proposed Gender Responsive and Inclusive Pandemic Management Act of 2021 a priority. Time is of the essence - we are facing the impact of the pandemic which disproportionately affects marginalized groups of women especially women migrant workers. Gender-based violence continues to persist across different spheres - within the homes, the workplace (including abroad), and in public spaces. In celebration of the Labor Month, let this be our tribute to and recognition of the contribution of women migrant workers to our country,” said Charisse Jordan, National Project Officer, UN Women, Safe and Fair Philippines.

Additionally, the national government presented its National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) at the Labor Day Job Summit; this includes detailed action plans for the next two years in support of OFWs to get employment, income, livelihood, skills development, or reintegration support. Another instrument that will be essential in a new and better normal, which can strengthen efforts in eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work, is the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190, which workers and migrant groups are advocating for the Philippines to ratify.

“The government launched the NERS on May 1st, which includes priority budgetary and job recovery actions of the government for OFWs.  Also, the government and tripartite partners have started efforts to push for the ratification of the ILO Convention 190 on ending violence and harassment in the world of work. OFWs need to remain vigilant in pushing for these,” said Rex Varona, National Project Coordinator, ILO, Safe and Fair Philippines.

 

The Babaeng BiyaHero campaign calls on government officials, stakeholders, communities, and migrant workers themselves to promote a more equitable, safe, fair, and better normal for every Filipina by ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and capability to access effective and timely services that will support them throughout their migration experience. By working together, Safe and Fair Philippines hopes to ensure that a new and better normal is anchored on decent work, gender equality, freedom from violence, and safe and fair labour migration for all Filipino women workers.

 

Visit and follow the Safe and Fair Philippines Facebook page for more information and the latest updates. Go to the Babaeng BiyaHero website for more information about the situation of Filipina migrant workers, or if you need to contact or report any incidents.

 

Honoring modern-day heroes in celebration of Labor Day 2021: PayMaya opens gov’t payments, financial services for OFWs and Filipinos abroad

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Digital financial services leader PayMaya is making it even easier for overseas Filipinos to pay for government fees and for their family's utility bills through the PayMaya e-wallet app.

In time for Labor Day on May 1, PayMaya opened this service for Filipinos overseas so they can now use their Philippine mobile SIM on roaming to register for a PayMaya account, allowing them to perform transactions such as paying government dues or utility bills, as well as sending money to other PayMaya users, even while abroad. 

“Our vision of Digital Finance for All Filipinos includes our hardworking countrymen abroad, our modern-day heroes,” said Orlando Vea, Founder and CEO of PayMaya. “Having a PayMaya account wherever you are in the world can empower Filipinos overseas and help them stay connected with their loved ones in the Philippines.” 

According to 2020 data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are an estimated 2.2 million Filipinos who are currently working abroad, with millions more who have already migrated and can still benefit from a strong fintech platform that can help them and their families who are still in the Philippines.

Expanding financial inclusion for Filipinos worldwide 

Paying for government fees such as taxes and social insurance contributions while abroad is among the top concerns of Filipinos overseas. For example, those who are currently abroad can easily use their PayMaya accounts to conveniently pay their individual Social Security System (SSS) contributions using the SSS mobile app, as well as nominate their PayMaya accounts to receive loan proceeds and other disbursements from the agency. 

“Since 2019, this partnership between the Social Security System (SSS) and PayMaya has opened doors for many overseas-based Filipinos to easily and speedily remit contributions and receive disbursements to the pension fund--made all the more crucial during these trying times when mobility is limited to help curb the spread of  COVID-19. This new offering from PayMaya will allow even more Filipinos to derive benefits and take advantage of the services offered by SSS, from practically anywhere in the world,” said Aurora C. Ignacio, SSS President and CEO.

Aside from the SSS, PayMaya users abroad can also transact with other government agencies such as the PAG-IBIG Fund, Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and over 60 other agencies and local government units that accept PayMaya as a payment option. 

PayMaya recently piloted the service in Singapore with positive feedback from Filipinos in the city-state, especially since many lack credit cards and other financial instruments that allow them to easily conduct financial transactions back home. 

On top of government payments, overseas Filipinos can also pay their or their families’ bills through the more than 500 active billers available in the PayMaya app. On top of this, they can also send money to other PayMaya users in the Philippines or to any of the more than 37,000 Smart Padala centers nationwide once they have added money to their accounts. 

To start using PayMaya abroad, all they have to do is download the PayMaya app on their phones (https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133) and register using their Philippine mobile SIM with international roaming activated, their address in the Philippines, as well as a valid Philippine ID such as Passport, Driver’s License, UMID, SSS ID with Digitized photo, PRC License and Postal ID. Once done, they can Add Money to their account through VISA, Mastercard, or JCB debit or credit cards, or through PayMaya’s international remittance partners such as Western Union and Moneygram.  

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants as well as government agencies and units.   

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides over 28 million Filipinos with access to financial services. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 200,000 digital touchpoints nationwide.

It's Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 37,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

Stranded OFWs and locals get help from PLDT Smart Foundation

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Haira Aba, 29 years old, is the breadwinner of her family in Datu Paglas in Maguindanao. She applied for a job as a domestic helper in Qatar and travelled to Manila. But the COVID-19 pandemic came, overseas travel came to a halt, and as a result, she has been stuck in Manila for the past four months.

54-year old Dennis Sebastian is a mechanical operator and harvester in Tuguegarao – a job he has been doing for six years now. He usually travels back to his hometown in Compra, Liloy in Zamboanga Del Norte three times a year. This year, he was scheduled to return home last April 6. But due to the pandemic, his flight was rescheduled to June 5 – and then was again cancelled.

Aba and Sebastian are two of the 350 returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and locally stranded individuals (LSI's) at the Villamor Elementary School in Villamor Airbase, Pasay City. They received meals and other assistance from the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) through employee-led fundraising initiatives such as the Fairness, Integrity, Transparency and Accountability (F.I.T.A.) Video Challenge and Kapit Kapatid Program.

The PSF also partnered with the Department of Interior and Local Government and Department of Social Welfare and Development in the National Capital Region.

“Our hearts are with our brothers and sisters who are struggling to be reunited with their families. We understand how important being with family is in order to cope better during this difficult time. We hope that our simple gesture brought them some joy, especially during these trying times,” said PLDT-Smart Foundation President Esther Santos.

'The Internet saved me'

According to Aba, her situation is difficult since she is far away from her family. She said that what brought comfort during this difficult time was the help they have received from various organizations and individuals.

“Kailangan kong magtiis. Nakikipagkuwentuhan na lang ako sa mga kasama ko dito para hindi ma-bored. Malaking tulong din ang cellphone at Internet dahil na rin may YouTube,” Aba said.

(I need to endure this. I just talk to some of the people that are also stranded here so that I won’t get bored. Having my cellphone with me and having Internet also helps a lot because there’s Youtube.) 

Finding all means to survive

Unable to fly home, Sebastian stayed for several weeks at a footbridge near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. Last June 11, he was transferred to the Villamor Elementary School. In order to buy food, Sebastian said he had sold some of his personal belongings. This included his cellphone, which he sold for P300, a luggage for P500 and his shoes for P200.

According to Sebastian he lived like a nomad for weeks. “Palipat-lipat ako ng puwesto kapag sobrang init at umuulan. Sana hindi na maulit ito kasi apat na buwan na akong hindi nakakauwi. Wala na akong communication [sa aking pamilya]. Pero bago ko ibinenta ang cellphone ko, natawagan ko na sila at sinabi kong h’wag mag-alala,” Sebastian said.

(I keep changing positions and places where to stay, especially when it is extremely hot or when it rains. I hope this never happens again because it’s been four months that I haven’t been home. I don’t have any communication with my family. But before I sold my cellphone, I was able to call them and tell them not to worry.)

On June 25, Sebastian is scheduled to finally come home.

To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit http://beta.pldt.com/covid19/.